Locked in a drought California takes drastic measures to slash water use
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ordered communities to cut water use and implement one-day-a-week watering restrictions. read more
Water World: Water-saving success
Location: Palo Alto, Calif. Company: Gachina Landscape Management A well-planned irrigation system is never more important than during a drought. With water conservation in mind, Gachina Landscape Management renovated Oak Creek Apartments’ irrigation system. It was California’s worst drought in decades, but the Gachina team helped Oak Creek take advantage of a $50,000 rebate from the Santa Clara Valley Water... read more
How long will California’s drought last? Maybe hundreds of years, study shows
California’s five-year drought, which has effects as diverse as an increase in devastating wildfires and the normalization of brown lawns, could become the region’s “new normal,” according to researchers. The study, published in Nature.com journal Scientific Reports, looked at periods over the past 10,000 during which natural climatic forces—like sun spots, a slight change in earth’s orbit or a decrease in volcanic activity—warmed the region through a... read more
Inside California’s drought
The Irrigation Association released its Drought Summit Report late last year. We break it down here. IA’s tips for the landscaping industry: Adopt a model irrigation ordinance at the local level to increase irrigation efficiencies in newly installed commercial and residential landscape irrigation systems. Authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program and incentivize the use of WaterSense-labeled technologies and... read more
TurfMutt releases elementary classroom materials
TurfMutt, an environmental stewardship and education program, added new classroom materials for grades K to 5. In conjunction with Scholastic, TurfMutt created a digital storybook, titled “The West Coast Mission,” an online climate change game and lesson plans for teachers. The program helps students learn about science and the environment from the perspective of the backyard, community and personal green... read more
How landscape water use stacks up in California
A perspective on the California drought and landscape water use. Landscape water use in California accounts for 9 percent of the total statewide water use. Thus, if we never watered another home or public landscape, park, sports field or golf course in California, the state would save 9 percent of its average total water consumption. This does not seem like... read more
